Monday, November 30, 2009

One of my first jobs when I was a teen was working at Produce City Plus, a grocery store that once belonged to our family, and used to sit at 16th & Cambie St. in Vancouver, where Capers moved in ever-so-briefly, which is now currently the weirdest overly-large Shoppers Drug Mart. I started as a grocery bagger, a produce packer and a fruit-basket maker (I loved doing the fruit baskets!). I would sit in the basement of the store, crank the tunes on my sister's old turquoise blue mini ghetto blaster and power through stacking perfect domes of fruit and saran-wrap-trapping them in, and tie it all with ribbon. The following summer I moved up to CASHIER! Memorizing produce codes was a fun game- I would test myself by cruising the produce aisles. I trace this back to my wrist problems-- and of course my future years as a TEMP through Kelly Services, typing away like a Mad Men secretary.

LONG STORY... but the point of the story is... holy WRIST PAIN piping these Coco Cake dahlia buttercream topped cupcakes! I think they turned out so lovely though. Randi and Tim requested chai cupcakes with a vanilla buttercream, and dahlia-topped cupcakes to match their wedding flowers. So five dozen cupcakes later I was done! They also ordered mini chocolate ganache cupcakes with red hearts.

Congratulations Randi and Tim! Thanks for having Coco Cake be a part of your special day!

Sweet and pretty Becky's birthday rolled around last week and her thoughtful boyfriend Michael (who incidentally, I learned recently that we went to the SAME ELEMENTARY SCHOOL and HIGH SCHOOL!) secretly emailed me with a cute idea: Naruto cupcakes! Okay, so I didn't actually know who Naruto was until he sent me the links! I made the four main Naruto characters, plus the rest in yellow "spikey" buttercream frosting, to resemble Naruto's hair! Michael also brought Becky with him to pick up the cupcakes and when I showed her the surprise it was so cute-- she loved them! Michael also emailed me the next day to say thank you, and also that his sister called them "cupcake pillows" they were so soft and delicious!! I love that! Cupcake Pillows!

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

I know it's not actually called the BLIM ART MART. But for some reason I call it that ALL THE TIME... yes, crazy times Coco Cake cupcakes will be selling delightful cupcakes at this month's BLIM MARKET! Sunday, November 29th at Cambrian Hall, 215 E.17th and Main St in Vancouver! Come on down and try some cupcake treats and shop for some early arty crafty holiday gifts!

I will be there at 11am until I sell out! So please arrive early to avoid disappointment!

plus a possible additional flavour if time allows! I will have boxes available for those who would like to purchase 4 or more cupcakes, but if you bring your own receptacle, you get $1 off your purchase of 4 or more cupcakes! Neat-o! If you would like to pre-order a box of 4 with any combination of the above cupcakes, please email me at lyndsay@cococake.com with BLIM ART MART in the subject line before Saturday at 12pm.

These Coco Cake cupcakes turned out delicious and delightful. A "woodsy" theme ordered by the ever-cool Stephanie for her boyfriend Brock's birthday -- I made dark chocolate cupcakes with peppermint chocolate buttercream, with shards of Lindt dark chocolate sticks and faux-bois paper party flags! Hooray!

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Oh this funny little Coco Cake specialty cake was a real chuckle for me to make. My bro-in-law Geoff and his girlfriend Monique requested a birthday cake for Monique's mom's birthday-- something golf themed. Immediately a comedy lightbulb went off in my head and I thought, what about a cake completely covered with "grass"... but with a smooth putting green with flag and teeny golf ball. I thought the cake turned out wonderfully surreal-- and Monique and Geoff are so awesome because when I told them my idea they immediately were like: "sounds great!! Let's do it!"

The cake was dark chocolate with green-grass-tinted vanilla buttercream and a Lindt dark chocolate ganache filling.

Really hoping more people will request the "shaggy" cake. Also was considering ONLY doing shaggy/furry buttercream cakes from now on... heh heh... Imagine a cake with that shaggy fur with an ANIMAL FACE on it? Hilarious!!!

Happy Birthday Monique's mom!! I hope the cake made it to Tofino in all of its shaggy glory!! :)

Thursday, November 19, 2009

"Thomas! Thomas!" Says my nephew Brody. One of his current obsessions is crazy old Thomas the Tank Engine and the many train buddies Thomas has... What is it about Thomas that appeals to so many little kids? The basic friendly yet almost slightly mad face and myriad of expressions, the strong identifiable colours? Oh to see trains again for the first time through a little two year old's eyes... fascination!! Especially trains with FACES!

Sharn emailed good old Coco Cake headquarters with a request for two dozen Thomas themed cupcakes for her little guy's birthday! I thought they turned out pretty cute and Thomas-like... Vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream in blue plaid cupcake liners, topped with sugar fondant Thomas, Percy and Gordon train faces! :)

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

It was my BIRTHDAY on Sunday! Hooray! I turned... gasp... 33. THIRTY THREE! thirty three. See, I have to write it a bunch of times to get used to it. Actually, about 6 months before every birthday I start thinking I'm the next age already (in order to mentally prepare) so I guess I'm used to it already. Er... actually not quite. Above is the picture of the AMAZING ICE CREAM CAKE (mocha ice cream, almond ice cream and chocolate crunch) my husband Rich made for me! He even piped that cute border and used my fondant to make my name and a funny all-blue ice cream cone. I had a super fun birthday party and was surprised with a DESSERT PARADE of sweets made by all of my friends. I was very teary eyed. That's me in a blur of SHEER BIRTHDAY TREAT EXCITEMENT!

Monday, November 16, 2009

You know when you just get the nicest feeling about someone? Alanna, the sweet and beautiful bride of this story, emailed me a while back with a request for cupcake favours for her upcoming wedding... she was so sweet and cool in her emails, and had the cutest ideas that I was pretty stoked to make something for her!

In total I made over 150 watermelon-pink buttercream topped jam-filled Coco Cake Berry Good cupcakes in black liners! Super stylish and cute! And monkey topped cupcakes for the kids... ! I also made Alanna and Ben their little monkey bride and groom wedding cake toppers... I think they turned out adorably cute! Alanna requested them to look "Totoro"-like... !

Congratulations Alanna and Ben! Here's to a life of happiness, good times and a good sprinkling of monkeyin' around too...

Friday, November 13, 2009

Sorry I'm a bit behind on my bloggin' world this week! I took a relaxing little train trip down to Portland, Oregon to visit my dear friend Helen, who is doing her MFA at Portland State University. I had a mega fun time, eating my way through Portland and doing a little shopping too. I came home with a beautiful vintage purple silk dress for $18, three records from Mississippi Records, a book from Powell's Bookstore, and a lovely felted wool plaid wool scarf for my hubby! Fun!

First of all, I received an email from Brie, who lives in the Netherlands, with a special request for her sister, who lives in Vancouver! A super secret birthday delivery to Janna's workplace, with Coco Cake Snowball cupcakes to the rescue! Gerry Sung helped me deliver these out to a printshop in Burnaby. An email from Brie a few hours later:

"I wanted to thank you again for making the wonderful cupcakes and helping me give my sister a birthday surprise---she was completely surprised and told me I was a dork."

Ah, sisterly love!! Happy Birthday Janna!

Next: the very pretty and stylish Kim (who works at stellar Vancouver store Jonathan & Olivia) was plotting a birthday surprise for her main man, and his twin brother! She sent me the CUTEST mock up drawing (bottom pic) to base the cupcakes from... and ordered matcha green tea buttercream cupcakes to boot. Very cool!!

Saturday, November 7, 2009

OH CUTENESS!!! Lovely Samantha phoned me at good old Coco Cake HQ with a request: a Where The Wild Things Are cake and matching specialty cupcakes for her son Graydon's 1st birthday party!! I was excited to attempt WTWTA in cupcake form, and to make my cute little pal Moishe into a cake face once again!! This time I also made little Max faces, all in various stages of emotions! Lovely vanilla cupcakes with vanilla buttercream, dark chocolate cupcakes with vanilla buttercream and sugar fondant made up this delightful order. Samantha ordered 4 dozen of the specialty cupcakes, so you can imagine how long I spent making those ridiculously cute little faces!! Thanks as usual to my honeybun RT, who helped me cut out the mini Max crowns! :)

Apologies for the photo explosion-- but I just loved doing this order, and thought everything turned out super darn cute!!

My Fave Arty +Designy + Crafty + Foody Blogs

About Me

Welcome to Coco Cake Land! I'm a rated G party animal who loves making cakes, dreaming up simple party DIY's and tutorials and photographing, styling and writing about it all. I live in Vancouver, BC Canada with my husband and kid. My background is in Women's Studies, Film Studies and Integrated Media. Jobby stuff: I am a self taught baker and I custom bake cakes inspired by vintage buttercream techniques and supercute illustration. I love blogging and I write for several other blogs including Poppytalk, You Are My Fave, Handmade Charlotte and Craftsy!